In Screen Rant’s latest video, we recap the fun Easter eggs included in Comcast’s E.T. commercial that aired over Thanksgiving. After Steven Spielberg’s now-classic sci-fi film E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial became a massive hit in 1982, there was, naturally, talk about a sequel. Spielberg and E.T. writer Melissa Mathison began developing a project called E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears, which would have seen Elliott attempt to contact E.T. for help after he’s kidnapped by aliens. Smartly, Spielberg eventually decided against making an E.T. sequel, feeling it would rob the original of its wholesomeness.
E.T. may never get a full-length followup, but fans were treated to an E.T. and Elliott reunion on Thanksgiving, when Comcast debuted their new commercial. Bolstered by a sweet message of connecting with family over the holidays, many found the TV spot to be a touching short film that gave E.T. a worthy and respectful sequel. As many viewers know, legacy sequels to iconic properties frequently work in numerous nods and references to the past, scratching that nostalgia itch. Comcast’s commercial is no different, and here are some big ones you might have missed.
Screen Rant’s new YouTube video details the various Easter eggs that can be found in the E.T. spot. Some are quite obvious, like E.T. bringing Elliott’s flowers back to life and the alien snacking on Reese’s Pieces at the dinner table. Others are more subtle hat tips that are hidden for eagle-eyed viewers to spot. Check out the full video in the space below:
What this shows is the makers of the commercial put a lot of thought into the spot and paid very close attention to detail. The production team deserves a ton of credit for including these Easter eggs, many of which feel organic and don’t blatantly distract the viewer with a nostalgia trip. It’s clear Comcast hired a team that had a great deal of reverence for E.T., ensuring the spot was far more than a cynical piece of advertising. Using pop culture icons to sell products is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and the trick is finding the “right way” to use them. Comcast seemingly cracked the code, promoting their Xfinity services while also crafting something that rings true to the original movie.
In some respects, Comcast’s E.T. commercial was similar to Honda’s Super Bowl ad from several years ago, which featured Matthew Broderick riffing on Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Granted, a key difference between the two was that Broderick was playing a fictionalized version of himself (Henry Thomas is portraying Elliott in the Comcast spot), but it still essentially worked as a Ferris Bueller sequel in which the title character conned his way out of a day of work. Much like E.T., Ferris Bueller is one of those standalone films that really doesn’t need a full-length sequel, so having a commercial serve as a followup is a fun bit for fans. Perhaps this could be the new Hollywood trend of revisiting beloved classics; maybe Close Encounters of the Third Kind or The Breakfast Club is next.
More: E.T. Originally Had A Very Different Ending
